Navigate:

CEOs: Locke Obama's secret weapon

Gary Locke has scored trade deals for U.S. companies, especially in China. |
AP Photo
Close

If there is one big knock on Locke in corporate circles, it’s that he was mostly invisible during the first couple years of the administration.

During that period, the White House was focused on health care and financial reform and developed a reputation, fairly or not, as dismissive of — and occasionally outright hostile to — corporate America.

Text Size

-

+

reset

“This is an administration that frankly was not very kind to the business community over its first couple of years,” said Jay Timmons, president and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers. “The president’s new focus on competition and growth I think in part reflects the strength of Secretary Locke’s voice within the administration. It’s our hope that his voice will continue to be strong and that some of the things the president said in the State of the Union will have some real teeth.”

Locke’s low profile during the administration’s first two years came in part as a result of a White House agenda that did not feature him and partly because of his natural inclination to avoid the spotlight and simply go about his work. He also came in with a fairly low profile, having been out of politics and practicing law for two years. The national news media did not gravitate to him, and he did not go out of his way to promote himself with reporters.

Locke also suffered somewhat from the pitched battles involving Wall Street, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the White House. He was never really part of those fights — executives say they could always talk to him — but the environment was not terribly conducive to raising his profile.

In a way, Locke’s moment has now arrived, given the strong White House pivot to a much more pro-business footing, at least in terms of rhetoric and personnel.

The West Wing staff is now run by Bill Daley, a former JPMorganChase vice chairman. President Obama’s top outside economic adviser is now Jeffrey Immelt, chief executive of General Electric.

Hardly a day goes by that the White House does not host executives. Barack Obama himself is constantly touring factory floors. Lowering the top corporate tax rate of 35 percent (while closing loopholes) is now an administration priority.

Some on the left say most of this is just political theater aimed at blunting the anti-business argument heading into the reelection campaign. They insist progressives remain in control inside the White House.

But Locke does not share that view. Nor does he believe the White House was ever really “anti-business.”

Readers' Comments (12)

If he is what this article says, then I am sure he does stand out in an Administration that is clueless about business. Well, that is not a completely fair criticism. They understand trading favors to business for political contributions - the Chicago way of crony capitalism. But, despite the rhetoric, they refuse to understand the impact of regulations on business, the impact of Federal borrowing on credit markets, the undermining of business caused by steady weakening of the dollar, the disruption Obamacare is causing or how Obama's green energy agenda and war on fossil fuels is killing jobs and promoting long-term inflation. We just have to hope that our country can survive two more years under this socialist-in-chief before we can oust him and get our country back on track.

But, despite the rhetoric, they refuse to understand the impact of regulations on business, the impact of Federal borrowing on credit markets, the undermining of business caused by steady weakening of the dollar, the disruption Obamacare is causing or how Obama's green energy agenda and war on fossil fuels is killing jobs and promoting long-term inflation.

Sounds like companies should get Locke to lobby within the administration to fix the mess you mention. obama has been listening to the WRONG people in his admin. He needs to get rid of jarrett......... like he has axe and rahm. He also needs to FIRE lisa jackson.

This is really making me laugh, between Locke and Washington state's current govenor, the residence ot this state are impoverished. Locke let his Attorney General (now governor) forfit 20 million dollars in a lwa suit because they fail to do their jobs. That's small change but now social benefits have been cut and thousands now cannot get assistance. Dems have detroyed the State of Washington. Look at all the states and you will find, those governed by Dems are in worse shape than Republicans. Locke destroyed the foundation of our state, he know nothing about business.

This is really making me laugh, between Locke and Washington state's current govenor, the residence ot this state are impoverished. Locke let his Attorney General (now governor) forfit 20 million dollars in a lwa suit because they fail to do their jobs. That's small change but now social benefits have been cut and thousands now cannot get assistance. Dems have detroyed the State of Washington. Look at all the states and you will find, those governed by Dems are in worse shape than Republicans. Locke destroyed the foundation of our state, he know nothing about business.

To address the serious threat of global warming, Americans should be required to "pay" for the carbon content of goods they consume from countries around the world, a top U.S. official said on Friday.

"It's important that those who consume the products being made all around the world to the benefit of America -- and it's our own consumption activity that's causing the emission of greenhouse gases, then quite frankly Americans need to pay for that," Commerce Secretary Gary Locke told the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai.

Locke has made a career in government, by displaying the backbone of a flatworm. This makes him the perfect go between, of the mega-socialist Obama administration and feckless big business. Both deserve each other. May God help this once great nation.

Pres Obama has a number of high powered economists and business people in several economic groups advising him and you are saying they are all stupid ... so i have to wonder how did they get to where they are by being stupid? maybe you have an answer?

but since you must be an economics expert perhaps you can outline the following specifically:

impact of regulations on business

impact of borrowing (include how Pres Bush did the same thing and he is not to blame)

undermining business from weakening dollar (not that is does but how did Obama do it i.e. does he control currency markets)

what disruption of HCR?

how green energy is bad? what war on fossil fuels and how is the not war killing jobs (give me the stats)